Steve Wynn judgment against Joe Francis grows to $40 million

That brings the total damages awarded to Wynn in the case
to $40 million.

In a statement, Wynn said: "Thank God for the justice system that finally sent
a message: If you think you’re taking a cheap
shot, it may be a lot more expensive than you had imagined. Therefore, think before you post; think
before you speak; hesitate before you start to destroy someone’s
character. There may be a day of
reckoning."

The jury found Francis knowingly made false statements when he told
reporters and others that Wynn had threatened to kill him and bury his body
in the desert amid a spat over a gambling debt. Because the jury found
that Francis acted with malice, Wynn was able to seek additional punitive
damages.

The initial award surpassed the $12 million Wynn's attorneys had
asked for and swelled Francis' already substantial debt to the Las Vegas
billionaire. With the original $2 million gambling bill and a
$7.5-million defamation judgment awarded by a Nevada judge this year,
Francis owes Wynn close to $50 million.